


sorry that i had to go looking for validation

by MidnightsNightmares



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Fluff, Other, Sad, now they live with kukui, reader was once apart of team skull and got kicked out, requestfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 12:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9272243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightsNightmares/pseuds/MidnightsNightmares
Summary: "Having trouble sleeping again?"He always saw through you. You turn over on your back and stare up at him. You shrug halfheartedly."I guess.""Wanna come down for a drink of something?""...I guess."





	

It's late into the night when you hear him come home.

You're supposed to be in bed by now. You told Kukui you'd go to bed around this time, so he came home every night expecting that you’d be asleep. It’s dark in the house and the moon outside barely does anything for lighting. In the distance from the nearby window you have cracked open, you can hear something chirp softly. It’s a peaceful atmosphere, yet melancholic and dreary.

Kukui doesn't have strict rules in his house, just as long as you don't go around taking advantage of him or break anything too important. You think you've broken the first rule though. You know, living here under his roof, eating his food and living off of his hard earned money. It's always felt like that since he opened the door to you, but the one time you mentioned that to him, he patted you roughly on the back reassuringly and said it was fine. It didn't feel right. Maybe it wasn't right and he was just lying to you to make it seem like it was alright. You didn't know, and you didn't really care. 

You shifted on the pull out bed and tucked your face into the crease of the cushions. You think maybe if you pretend hard enough, he'll be convinced you're asleep. You already hear the creaking of the sloppily built ladder as he stepped up on to it, getting to the top of the loft in a few leg lifts. He peers over at your "sleeping" form, checking in just for a moment, before he sighs.

You think he's going to move away, but -

"Having trouble sleeping again?"

He always saw through you. You turn over on your back and stare up at him. You shrug halfheartedly.

"I guess."

"Wanna come down for a drink of something?"

"...I guess."

He offered a smile and a hand. You grab it and allow him to help you sit up on the pullout bed and stand. You watch as he stepped back down the ladder, moving downward and toward the kitchen. You take a moment to collect yourself, rubbing the tired out of your eyes and head for the ladder as well, more or less jumping to the bottom. Kukui is already in the kitchen by the time you reach the bottom, but he looked back at you at the sound of the thump. He gestured for you to come closer.

He doesn't say anything, which you appreciate. You wait for him to do say something, but he does. Instead, you opt for sitting down, crossing your legs and lowering your chin until it touched the bar. He's stirring something in a cup by the time he walked back over to you, setting it down just in front of your eyes.

The smell is...

"Tapu Cocoa?"

"Made by your personal barista Kukui." He leans against the bar. "Drink up, buddy."

You move to reach the cocoa, taking it in your hand and sipping it cautiously. It's hot, and the ceramic of the mug burns your hand, but it tastes good. It doesn't do anything for your mindset right now, but Kukui comes around the bar and takes a seat next to you. You don't look at him, taking another sip of the cocoa. It's warm and good and rich in flavor. At the very least, tension melts away and off of your back.

"Feelin' okay?" Kukui suddenly asked. You shrug.

"Just... tired."

"Physically or mentally?"

You almost laugh. Your fingers tighten around the mug.

"Both."

The interaction has to be uncomfortable, but for some reason Kukui doesn't get bothered by stuff like that. He reached out to you again, resting a hand on your back. He's at a loss for words. Gently, he rubbed in circles. You close your eyes, indulging in the feeling of the comfort. It's been forever since you've felt that. That's your fault for that. Maybe if you'd done simply what he wanted you to do, you could have still had a hand to comfort you. Maybe you could have had everyone stay by your side. Maybe you could have been of use to him.

The memory goes through your head again. Guzma, about to bash some little kid's Pokemon in. And you, rushing to their aid. You'd been apart of Team Skull for quite a while at that point. You didn't think you'd be of help to anyone until you met Guzma. He was definitely not the brightest crayon in the box, but unlike everyone before you, he was potential in you. Maybe it was the way he spoke to you that made you feel good about yourself. But the second you had rushed to help the kid, he was no different then everyone else. He looked down at you. He made you feel no different then the pathetic things you were feeling before.

That's when Kukui opened his door to you. You thought maybe you should ignore him, brush him off your back and go back to Guzma to prove your loyalty, but you refrained. Something about it felt wrong all of the sudden. For the first time in a while, fog cleared from your head. You looked down at your clothing - the uniform of sorts that they gave you - and suddenly felt uncomfortable in your own skin. You looked back at the kid who you'd helped and muttered an apology for the trouble. Kukui was insistent that you come with him.

"Do... you think Guzma was right?" You ask Kukui, breaking the atmosphere.

"Guzma is never right about anythin'. Really, just look at what he's doing now."

You look up at him.

"Didn't he used to be your friend before?"

Kukui didn't answer right away. At first, he pulled off his hat and tossed it to the side. A smirk played on his lips.

"Maybe. A long time ago. Now he's really lost his marbles. If he ever just really got the meaning of being a trial captain, maybe things would have been different. I never tried changing his mind when he ran off though."

"Do... Do you feel bad for not speaking up and stopping him?"

Kukui shrugged. You took another sip of the cocoa.

"Hm. I guess some days I feel a little weird about it. I would feel worse if he were hurt."

You look down into the cocoa just as it's making ripples across the surface from your movement. It's mesmerizing, and your eyes follow them as they expand out and dissipate against the edges. It reminded you of yourself. How you had started off strong and ended up weak in the end. Yet, for everything that's been taken away from you, you were still searching for validation.

"I think he is hurting. On the inside. No one likes to have their dreams crushed."

You swallow harshly and then put the mug down, pushing it away from you somewhat. You glance out the nearby window and feel something overcome you. It came in a gentle wave and left something you thought about every once in a while.

"Is it... bad that I want to help him?"

"Nah. Just shows what kinda heart ya got, buddy. I think Guzma made Team Skull to cope with the loss of his dreams. It's real polite of ya to want to help him."

You turn toward Kukui slowly, grabbing his hand in yours. You look up at him with big eyes.

"Could you help me do that? I mean, it's better than moping around here. And, I could maybe get out of your hair faster that way..."

You weren't sure how, but it could be possible. Maybe someone else would want to take you in. Kukui ruffled your hair softly with his other hand, his infamous big grin stuck on his face. You've seen that look only once before, and that was from Guzma when he recruited you into Team Skull. Kukui saw hope in you, only this time it was genuine.

"Sure thing! Just tell me what ya think you can do and I'll do my best to help. I dunno much about them numskulls, but you've been among their number personally."

You nod. "Tomorrow then. I have an idea. I'll just need you to take me to Po Town."

Kukui let his hand slip from your hair, back onto your shoulder where he squeezed reassuringly. You bring your mug of cocoa closer to you and down the rest of it quickly, thankful that it had cooled down enough not to burn you. You thanked him quickly and headed straight for the ladder, climbing onto it's creaking steps with excitement.

After tonight, you feel a little better. And tomorrow, you redeem yourself.

**Author's Note:**

> NICE this was a neat request
> 
> send more fic requests at itstrickstersugar.tumblr.com
> 
> i want to do something ilima next so give me ideas for that


End file.
